Turfway: Maker stablemates finish one-two in Tejano Run

Baryshnikov and Dean’s Kitten gave Mike Maker, the leading trainer at the Turfway Park winter-spring meet, a one-two sweep of the $50,000 Tejano Run Stakes on Saturday night.

With Tommy Pompell aboard, Baryshnikov notched his first career stakes victory when making or forcing all the pace in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race, returning $19 as sixth choice in a field of eight older horses. Dean’s Kitten, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes last year, was second, 1 3/4 lengths behind his stablemate and another half-length before Mint Chip.

Baryshnikov “broke good and kind of had a hold of me,” said Pompell. “I was hooked up there, and I didn’t really want to be hooked up head-and-head with another horse, but we were going slow enough it seemed like it was all right.”

Baryshnikov, a 5-year-old horse by Empire Maker, finished in 1:51.92. Owned by Jeffrey Columbro and Connie Apostel, Baryshnikov has steadily ascended the class ladder at Turfway this winter while winning 4 of 5 starts. Overall, he has won 6 of 32 starts and earned $166,743.

Maker has been the dominant trainer at Turfway through the winter despite having his best horses based at Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds. Into Sunday action, he led the standings with 28 wins, 12 ahead of his closest pursuer.